We don’t talk much about politics here, I think mostly because we’re apathetic and/or disillusioned. There are precisely two politicians I genuinely think would be appropriate leaders of our fair country. One of them is the highly polarizing Ron Paul. No, I do not think he’s the second coming of Jesus, and I definitely don’t approve of his views on church and state or abortion. But overall, there’s probably not a more sincere, consistent and honest politician that actually has a chance at becoming president.

The other is the largely unknown former governor of New Mexico: Gary Johnson. A young, active, perhaps more progressive version of Ron Paul, Johnson has gained notoriety (and respect) for having climbed Mts. Everest, Elbrus, McKinley and Kilimanjaro, performing impressive 140+ mile triathlons, and a 100 mile run through the Rocky Mountains. He also survived a 50 foot fall from a paragliding accident and treated his pain with medicinal marijuana.

No, he is not a myth, though he might sound too good to be true. He is highly vocal about his disdain for the War on Drugs, specifically the War on Marijuana. In fact, he has been firmly (and loudly) of this opinion as far back as 1999, long before the argument was part of public discourse.

Nowadays, he is trying to gain footing to stage a serious presidential run, likely in 2016. Just today an op-ed piece authored by none other than Johnson was published in Big Government – a strictly right-leaning website. In the article Johnson argues for the end of the War on Drugs, citing the fiscal, social and international benefits that could come with it. And… well, I’ll let you read it for yourself:

Every anti-weed advocate just lost possibly their most valuable argument.

“The researchers followed more than 5,000 people over two decades and found that regularly smoking marijuana — the equivalent of up to a joint a day over seven years — did not impair performance on a lung function test.

“In something of a twist, the researchers found that compared to nonsmokers, marijuana users performed slightly better on the lung function test, though the improvement was minuscule.”

Epic. I think I’ll go take some puffs of this finely crafted BHO in celebration! While I do that, check out the rest of the article:

Apparently the DEA really doesn’t discriminate. I suppose this is a good thing, since blacks outnumber whites 4-1 in American jails, and they are outnumbered 6-1 in the population of the US. But once again, the lack of oversight and general lack of interest in gathering worthwhile evidence tacks on another repetitive mark under “failed police raid on innocent American’s home.” This time, however, the victim of the raid was not an average American. Where most people would have neither the time nor resources to pursue any type of restitution, this UC Hastings professor vows to take his case as far as possible. At one time even being quoted saying he will not stop until “I see [the agents’] houses sold at auction and their kids’ college tuitions taken away from them.”

While it’s fairly unlikely that any repercussions will befall the individual officers involved in this case, it is possible that the infuriated professor, Clark Freshman, will see some sort of monetary compensation. It is historically a fruitless venture to take on any wing of the American government, especially the judicial sect. And for obvious reasons. But then again, this is not the ordinary citizen, and he probably has some friends in high places. I’ll be interested to see how this one turns out.

(SALEM, Ore.) – Medical marijuana activists in Oregon are at the state capitol this week opposing SB 388 that would increase police scrutiny of sick people and create more obstacles for those who legally use cannabis for healthcare. Michael Bachara from The Hemp and Cannabis Foundation, says advocates are talking about the Human Services and Rural Health Policy. Bachara says it is a critical time to push for the rights of sick people who use medical marijuana. “We need to let our representatives know that we oppose this bill. It would allow law enforcement to inspect our gardens at any time and create even more hoops to jump through and more paperwork that would be a burden not only to the state but also to medical marijuana patients, caregivers and growers throughout the state,” said Anna Diaz of Oregon NORML (National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws).Full article.

As explained in this article, a medical marijuana bill has been filed in the Texas House of Representatives. Here is the full text of the bill.

How to help this bill pass (courtesy of Texas NORML):

On February 12, 2009, HB 164 was officially assigned to the Public Health Committee in the Texas House of Representatives. The most exciting part of this committee assignment is that the bill’s author, Rep. Elliott Naishtat (Austin), has been assigned to be Vice Chair of the committee! Also, HB 164 has picked up a co-author, Rep. Lon Burnam (Ft. Worth). If you, or someone you know, uses marijuana for a serious medical condition, and are willing to submit testimony to the Public Health Committee, please contact us as soon as possible (josh@texasnorml.org, 512-585-3846) so that we can coordinate an effective lobbying effort for HB 164.

Who to contact:

House Committee on Public Health – Phone: (512) 463-0806

Contact your representatives and tell them to support this bill. To find out who your State Representatives and Senators are, go here. Enter your address in the “Who Represents Me?” box at the bottom right side of the page.

The justices unanimously denied review of an appellate decision in July that concluded California was free to decide whether to punish drug users under its own laws, despite the federal ban on marijuana.

The decision is “a momentous victory for countless seriously ill patients,” said Adam Wolf, an American Civil Liberties Union lawyer who defended the state law in the appeals court. He said the counties should stop wasting money “in a doomed effort to undermine the will of California voters.”

Medical marijuana cardholders — even those who are terminally ill — must grow their own marijuana or find someone else to grow it for them, according to state law.

But some local activists are aiming to change that. Voter Power, a medical marijuana activist group with an office in Medford, plans to put a measure on a 2010 ballot to create dispensaries in Oregon, similar to those in California.

“Currently, we have the grower-caregiver patient system, but a lot of patients do not have access to their medicine,” said Alex Rogers, outreach coordinator for Voter Power, who works in Jackson County. “They don’t have the time or money to grow their own, nor are they connected to someone who does.”

Voter Power, which led efforts to legalize medical marijuana 1998, hopes to create a limited number of nonprofit dispensaries where cardholders can receive marijuana.
——————————

Though medical marijuana patients were able to smoke their medicine at the event that featured music, crafts and speeches, that portion of the festivities was in question until this week. After failing to muster the votes to lift the city smoking ban in parks in a prior meeting, the council Tuesday agreed to do so. Only those with a medical marijuana identification card were allowed to smoke in a specially-designated tent Saturday.

Wo/Men’s Alliance for Medical Marijuana co-founder Valerie Corral said the event is an opportunity to normalize the use of medicinal marijuana and bring its members’ stories to the public eye.

…Defense attorney Douglass Hiatt argued that opiates sickened Dalton and did not relieve his pain, but Judge Laurie sided with prosecutors, effectively overruling the recommendation of the physician who okayed Dalton’s medical marijuana use.

An angry Hiatt said the judge had no business second-guessing the doctor’s recommendation. “If Judge Laurie wants to be a doctor, she should go to medical school … No patient in this state is safe if she’s right.”…

——————————

It’s very disconcerting that someone who has the power to take away your freedom could be this uneducated on what is ultimately a very vital subject.

A medical marijuana user has filed a $1-million lawsuit against Seal Beach police for taking up to 50 of his pot plants and allegedly forcing him to become an informant.

The Orange County Superior Court lawsuit filed last month by Bruce Benedict, 43, of Seal Beach, said he’s a marijuana patient and caregiver who is allowed by California law to grow and distribute marijuana.

Benedict alleged he called police because of illegal construction in his apartment building and officers smelled marijuana. County prosecutors refused to file charges so officers returned to Benedict’s apartment later with federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents in tow, according to the suit.

The pot was confiscated and Benedict was arrested. California law allows medical marijuana but federal law prohibits it.

Benedict’s suit said police officers asked him to move out of the city and become an informant in various drug matters. Benedict complied, alleging police told him he would face federal charges if he didn’t work for them.